Switching device



Feb. 22,1927.

' 1,618,388 J. c. RINKER ET AL SWITCHING DEVICE 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed April 28. 1924 -Patented Feb. 22, 1927.

] U I D: STATES AcoR c. R NKER, or OAK PARK, Am) ANTON ,"r. KRAIsrNGnR, or onrcneginnmors,

AssIGn oRs'To WESTERN ELECTRIC ooivirenif, IN ORPORATED, on NEW YORK,

N. Y., A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

SWITCHING -nnvicn.

Application filed April 28. 1924. Serial no. 709,531.

,"Thisinvention relates to-switching devices, {and more particularly to inter-controlling .means for switching units of gang or multiple type electrical switching devices. In telephone exchange' systems it is deslrable to employ switching keys, including a p "plurality of selectively operable switching units. Keys of this nature are particularly useful for the operator in applying currents 9 f different characteristics to a multi-station "telephone line for selectively signaling the 'various stationsthereon; Since thekeys used 1 fonthispurpose are ordinarily included in common connecting circliits, such as cord or tr unk circuits,'-which'may be associated with the individual line in establishing a connection therewith; it materially expe'dites [the service given by the exchange in case the keys; are so arranged that an actuation of ens lot the switching units automatically restores to normal a unit which may have been actuated in connection with a previously established connection. 7 -Anlob ject of the invention is to provide an improved means for iii'tencontiolling the operation of the switching units of a devlce of'this type. 7 7 7 v I Anther'obj ect is to expedite the actuation of the restoring means in such a switching device. I g

It is believed that the invention will be clearly understood from the following .description and. the accompanying drawings in whi h; M

Fig. 1 is a view in side elevation of one type of switching device embodying the teatures'of the invention;

Fig: 2 is aisection upon the line 2-2 of Fig. *lookingin the directionofthe arrows Fig. 3' is an enlarged sectional view taken 'u on theline 33 of Fig. 2 looking in the direction of the arrows; I I a fragmentary end view of the @Switchlever, and I V 7 Figs. anid6arel diagrammatic pers'pec .tive views of :the inter-controlling mechanistn fonthe "switch levers illustrating normal and operated positions, respectively.

the drawings at'wo unit electrical 'switcliingdevice'or key is illustrated provided with a paircfpivotal levers indicated atlUand 1 1. The levers are ,each'pivotally '7 mounted as indicated at 14 and 15 one before the other upon a U shaped frame 13 provided for each of the switches which frames in turn-are suitably secured to a common su'pportlnginember 16 capped'b'y a suitable face plate 17. Suitable slots (not shown)" are iormed in the members 13, 16jand 17 through'which the levers 1O *a'ndll project. Each of the levers isprovid'ed at its outer end with a handle 18. The levers are adaptedyup'on being rockecL-to actuate sets of switch springs indicated generally by the numerals 19 and 20 which are carried upon the frames 13, The levers 10 and 11' are connected by links 23 and 24, each link being connected at one. end to sneer his levers so as to move therewith and having some lost motion at its other end with respect to the other lever or as shown, a slottedconnection with the other lever. This connectioni's made by forming slots 26 and 27 in the links 23 and 24 respectively, and in which pins 28 and 29 carried by the levers 10 and 11, respectively; fit tightly. The slotted connection of each link with the lever connected with the other link may consist of elongated slots'31 and 32 formed near the free end of each of the links 23 and 24, respectively in which pins 33 and 345 carried by the levers ll and 10, respectively, connected with the other link. are adapted to ride. The pins 28, 29, .33 and 34 are mounted in the free ends of crank arms 35 suitably secured to each end of a pin 36' fixed to each of the levers 10 and 11 below the pivot points 1 1 and 15 respectively. Thus upon actua'tion of any lever in one direction the associated pin is moved in a reverse direction as will be readily understood. Both of the pins 36 support members 38 for op erating the switch springs 19 and 2 0 the members 38 being positioned at either side of each of the levers and inside of the crank arms 35 (see Fig. 4;). V

Intermediatethe ends of the supporting member 16 and between depending flanges thereof is'secured a block 40 (see Fig. 3),

mounted on opposite sides of the levers 1O and 11 and arranged to reciprocate upon the shouldered pins 41 through longitudinal slots 44 formed in the links, the heads 43 of the pins preventing a lateral displacement of the links upon the pins 41 and the engagement ofthe top edge of the links with the underside of the face plate 17 prevents an angular displacement of the links about the pins 41. Intermediate the slots 26 and 31 and slots 27 and 32 formed in the links 23 and 24 respectively, and directly below the slots 42 are slots 45 and 46, respectively. Pivotally mounted upon a bushing 47 secured to the underside of the block 40 by a screw 48 is a butterfly or cam member 50, the free ends 51 of which project into the slots 45 and 46 formed in the links 23 and 24 respectivel With the levers l and 11 and links 23 and 24 in their normal position as indicated in Figs. 1, 2 and 5, the ends 51 of the member 50 are spaced from both ends of the slots 45 and 46 formed in the links 23 and 24. v

As shown inFigs. 5 and 6 the ends 51 of the cam 50 are provided with arcuate surfaces which during the various switching operations contact with the ends of the slots 45 and 46. The arcuate surfaces insure that the force for moving the links is applied in exactly the same plane as that in which the links move. This eliminates all tendency of the links, in their longitudinal movement and especially at the beginning of such movement to shift laterally against the stationary supporting member 16 which lateral movement would result in a clamping action between the partsand thus decrease'the speed of operation. The free movement of the parts due to the arcuate cam ends results in an expeditious restoration of a previously actuated lever to normal by the use of a' minimum amount of energy. i r

The operation of the. inter-controlling means is as follows, referring particularly to the diagrammatic views shownin Figs. 5 and 6. Upon the lever 10 being rocked from its normal position as viewed in Fig. 5, to the left as indicated in Fig. 6, the link 23, connected therewith by the pin 28 and the slot 26,will be moved longitudinally in the reverse direction until the pin 33 carried by the crank mounted on. the lever 11 rests in the extreme left hand end of the slot 31 in the link 23 and the pin 34 at the extreme right hand end of the slot 32 in the link 24 (see Fig. 6). In this po sition the slot. does not lie directly oppositethe slot 46 in the opposite link 24 having been shifted to the right and in so doing the arcuate contacting surface of the end 51 engaged the left hand end thereof and thereby turned the cam about its pivot in a clockwise direction so that it occupies an obliqueposition with the end 51 engaging the left hand end of slot 46 as clearly shown in Fig. 6.

lVith the lever 10 in this position and upon rocking the lever 11 to the right, the lever 10 will be restored to its normal position as illustrated in Fig.1 This restoration accomplished in the following manner. The 4 connected with the lever 11 by the pin 29 and the slot 27 is moved longitudinally to the left which movement through the engagement of the pin 34 carried on lever 10 in the extreme right hand end of the slot 32 and the pin 33 carried on lever 11 hearing against the left hand end of the siot causes the lever 10 to be roci. d to the right to its normal position.

In case the lever 11 is rocked to the left. or in the same direction in which the lever 10 was rocked, the link 24 connected therewith is moved to the rigl'it and due to the engagement of the arcuate end 51 of the cam 50 with the extreme left hand end of the slot 46 the cam is turned upon its pivot in a counter clockwise direction thereby causing the opposite arcuate end 51 thereof which is in engagementwith the left hand end of the slot 45 in the link 23, to move the link 23 longitudinally to the left which movement causes the lever 10 to be rocked clockwise to its normal position through the pin 28 and slot 26. V

Similarly upon an actuation of the lever 11 with the lever 10 in its normal position and thereafter actuating the lever 10, lever 11 will be restored to its normal position.

An inter-controlled multiple type switching device as described above provides a simple and compact device for restoring a previously actuated electrical switching unit to its normal position automatically and immediately upon actuation of another switching unit.

What is claimed is:

1. In a switching device, a plurality of switching units, means for actuating each of said units, a common member associated with the actuating means, and a pivoted lever having an arcuate-shaped cam portion engaging the member whereby the actuation of one actuating means restores to normal I another actuating means, said cam portion serving to increase the speed of actuation of-the member.

2. In a switching device, a plurality of switching units, a pivotal lever for actuating each unit, and means for restoring an actuated unit upon the actuation of another unit, said means including a pair of links each operatively connected to one of said levers and a'lever having arcuate cam sure faces at both ends engaging either link to move the same whereby the actuation of one lever in the same direction as a previously actuated lever rstores the latter to normal.

3. In a switching device, a plurality of switching units, a pivotal lever for actuating 'each unit,and means for] restoring an actuated unit upon the actuation of another otal levers below the pivotal point, a pair of links each link having a pivotal connection with onecrank arm upon one lever and a; slotted connection with another crank arm upon the otherlever and a pivoted cam lever having arcuate cam surfaces engaging either link to move the same whereby the actuation of one lever in either of a plurality of d rect ons restores a previously actuated lever to normal.

4. In a switching device, a supporting frame member, a pair of switch units at- 1 tached in spaced relationship to the underside thereof, an actuating lever for each innit pivoted to the member, a mounting block removably attached to the underside V of'the member intermediate the levers, a

headed pin projecting therefrom on each side thereof, a pair of links having closed slots surrounding the pins, a pair of crank arms carried by each lever beneath the pivot point thereof, one of the arms of each pair having a pivotal connection with one and a slotted connection with the other of the links to restore an actuated lever to normal upon the movement in one direction of the other lever, and a cam member pivoted intermediate its ends tothe underside of the mounting block and having arcuate shaped ends for engaging the walls of additional slots in the links to restore the actuated lever to normal upon the movement of the other lever in the opposite direction.

In Witness whereof, we hereunto subscribe our names this 12th day of April, A. D. 1924.

JACOB-G. RINKER. ANTON J. KRAISINGER. 

